KOTTAYAM:
Noted Malayalam writer and social critic Paul Zacharia has been selected for this year's Muttathu Varkey award for literature for his comprehensive contributions to Malayalam literature. For the first time, the award has been given for short stories.

This is the 14th Muttathu Varkey award for literature. Those who bagged the award earlier, all of them novelists, include, O. V. Vijayan,

Vaikom Mohammed Basheer, M. T. Vasudevan Nair, Kovilan, Kakkanadan, VKN, Mukundan, Punathil Kunhabdulla, Anand, N. P. Mohammed, K. J. Baby, Sethu, and C. Radhakrishnan. At the primary level, 250 select readers are asked to express their preferences. From among the selected authors, a short list of five will be prepared by the Muttathu Varkey Foundation. An award committee will select the finalist from among the five shortlisted. The foundation also announced the 14th Muttathu Varkey award for best

literary creation from the campuses. The award has gone to Suresh P. Thomas, for his short story, "Ee Katha Engineayaanu Thudangendathu?"

The awards will be presented at a special function on May 28 at Kottayam . M. N. Vijayan will be the chief guest.